Valentino Rossi’s rode for Honda and Ducati throughout his storied 22-year MotoGP career, but only one manufacturer comes to mind when race fans think of The Doctor — Yamaha. The Italian rider and the Iwata factory dominated the Premier Class during the aughts with four MotoGP World Championship Titles (2004, 2005, 2008, and 2009). Including Vale’s return to Team Blue in 2013-2021, the Grand Prix dream team captured 142 podiums and 56 GP victories.
All good things come to an end though, and number 46 hung up his leathers in 2021, riding into the sunset aboard his cherished YZR-M1. While The Doctor and the bLU cRU have maintained close ties during his retirement years, they finally made the relationship official. On April 29, 2023, Yamaha named Rossi as its new Brand Ambassador.
